Radiator unit



F. B. HERZ RADIATOR UNIT July 28, 1931;

Y 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed March 13, 1930 INVENTOR. Erdinand B. /7erz mm W A TTORNE Y.

July 28, 1931, F. B. HERZ 1,816,372

RADIATOR UNIT Filed March 13, 1930 .2 Sheets-Sheet 2 IN VENTOR.

firm inane! 75. Her? BY WMWK 4:14

A TTORNE Y.

Patented July 28,

UNITED STATES PATENT- OFFICE FERDINAND B. nmz, OINDEIROIT, MICHIGAN, ASSIGHOR '1O LONG- IANUIACTUKI'NG COMPANY, 01 DETROIT, MICHIGAN, A. CORPORATION OF MICHIGAN RADIATOR UNIT Application ma larch 13,1930. Serial no. 85,588.

This invention relates to radiator units of the type commonly used upon motor vehicles now commercially produced and has particular reference to an improved,auxili-- ary front for the unit.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide an auxiliary front ada ted to as-- 1ator shell sume a position within the ra m advance of the core and comprising a plurality of substantially verticalribs ex-v tending across the entire front opening in the shell to resemble the conventional vertical shutter unit when fully opened.

Moreover, by virtue of the fact that the ribs,

aforesaid extend lengthwise across the shell,

theappearance of the radiator unit is greatly enhanced since it gives the unit the appearance of being relatively long and comparatively narrow.

Another object of this invention is to provide aradiator unit having an auxiliary front so. designed as to offer the amount of resistance to the passage of air irrespective of ,wind direction and at the same time to substantially conceal the radiator core and completely conceal the usual and also permits the elimination of all dead core material necessary in the conventional design of radiators due to the decided upwar shell. v I

A further object of this invention is to provide improved 'means for securing the auxiliary. front in positionso that the latter function to reinforce the radiator shell.

With the foregoing as well as other objects in view, the invention resides in the construction .of the radiator unit including the auxiliary front which will be made more apparent as this description proceeds, especia ly when considered in connection with the accompanyin drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a radiator unit with I certain parts broke away for the sakeof clearness.

aper of the side walls of the radiator ont elevational view of a Figure 2 is a sectional View taken'on the line 2*2 of Figure 1. I

Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view take on the line 3-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is a view similar to Figure 2 showing a modified form of construction. Referring now to the drawings, it will be noted that there is illustrated in Figure 1 I a radiator unit 10 comprising a shell 11- transversely curved as indicated at 12 and having a vertically elongated opening 13 therein exposing a heat exchange unit 14. The heat exchange unit is preferably of conventional' design and comprises a vcore ar-' ranged within the boundaries of the shell and having upper and lowerwater headers 15 and 16, respectively, communicating with each other by means of a series of tubes j i 17 having fins 18 secured thereto in ac- .cordance with the usual practice.--

The shell 11, in addition to being transversely curved, as stated above, tapers upwardly as shown in Figure 1 and the front panels 19 are relatively small in size. 'With a radiator shell of the type outlined above,

ting-a radiator core into e shell in such a manner that the same will present a neat and pleasing appearance since it is impractical totransversely curve the front face of.

the core and to taper the same to cor 0nd to the shell. Moreover, by reason 0' the relativel small front panels 19 of the. shell 'it is su tantially 'imposible to so position the core withinthe shell as to prevent the headers associated with the radiator core -.considerable difficulty is experienced in fitfrom being visible through thefront of-the. shell since the headers must bear a definite Y relation to the size of the radiator core.v As

a consequence, some provision must be made the front panels 19 and: the core. The above has heretofore been accomplished by forming what is commonly known as dead core. material upon the heat exchange unit, but

this method is extremely objectionable ow- 11g ing to the expense involved in manufacture.

he present invention contemplates eliminating the above difficulties by providing an auxiliary front 20 disposed within the space between the radiator core and shell and conformin to the shape of the latter. The auxiliary rout-20 is fashioned to simulate a shutter ,unit when opened and com-- prises a body portion 21 formed of a single sheet of metal and capable of being bent to substantially any desired shape. The body portion comprises a plurality of vertically extending ribs v22 extendinglengthwise across the o'pening in the shell and being fashioned to offer the minimum resistance .to the passage of air through the o enings 23 intermediate the ribs and to simu ate the blades of a conventional shutter when in open position. The vertical ribs 22 of the auxiliary front are maintained in proper spaced relation to each other and are connected together at the upper and lower ends by means of the web portions 24 and 25, respectively. The web portions 24 and 25 are formed integral with the ribs and roject into the opening in the shell a sufiicient iary front in engagement with the shell, I'

provide cross members27 having the'front surface 28 thereof corresponding to the desired transverse curvature of the shell and secured to the rear surfaces of the web portions 24 and 25 so as to be concealed thereby.

The cross members 27 are formed adjacent the ends thereof with suitable spring fingers 29 adapted to be slightly compressed against the front face of the shell to urge the marginal portions of the auxiliary front into engagement with the rear surfaces of the front panels 19 of the shell. With the above arrangement the auxiliary front may be readily assembled and removed from the radiator unit and at the same time is securely held in place.

In Figure 4 of the drawings I have shown a slightly modified form of construction differing only from the one hereinbefore set forth in themeans for securing the auxiliary front in position within the shell. As shown in Figure 4, I provide suitable strips 30 having the rear ends thereof secured to the rear end portions of the shell as at 31 and having portions intermediate the ends offset inwardly and embracing opposite sides of the radiator core as at 32. The intermediate portions 32 of the strip project forwardly from the radiator core and are secured to the cross members 27 as at'33'. The above construction is such that the strip forms a reinforcement for the side walls of the radiator shell in addition to securing the auxiliary front in position relative to the shell.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. The combination with a radiator unit having a shell and a core spaced rearwardly from the shell, of anauxiliary front within .the shell simulating a shutter unit and substantially concealing said core.

2-. The combination with a radiator unit comprising a shell and a core positioned in rear of the shell and having upper and lower headers normally visiblethrough the opening in the shell, of an auxiliary front disposed within said shell in advance of the core, said auxiliary front having portions providing for the passage of air therethrough and simulating a shutter unit and having other portions completely concealing said headers.

3. The combination with a radiator unit having a core and afshell forming a hous-.

ing for the core and having an open front permitting a circulation of air through the shell, of an auxiliary front having a body portion formed of a single piece of sheet metal arranged within the shell in advance of the core for substantially concealing the latter.

4. The combination with a radiator unit comprising a core and a shell forming a housing for the core and having an open front permitting the circulation of air through the shell, of an auxiliary front positioned within the shell in advance of the core and comprising a series of spaced ribs extending across the opening simulating a shutter unit, and means for supporting the auxiliary front within the shell.

5. The combination with a radiator unit comprising a core and a shell forming a housing for the core and having an open front permitting the circulation of air through the shell, of an auxiliary front positioned within the shell in advance of the core and apertured to permit the passage of air therethrough, and a cross member secured to the rear surface of the auxiliary front for reinforcing the same and having spring fingers engaging the core for holding siiidl auxiliary frontin position within the s 1e 6. The combination with a radiator unit comprising a core and a shell forming a housing for the core and having an open front permitting the circulation of air through the shell, of an auxiliary front positioned Within the shell in advance of the core and comprising a series of spaced ribsv extending across the opening simulating a shutter unit, said auxiliary front having web ihary portions connecting the ribs at the upper ends thereof and extending within the opening in said shell for completely concealing a ortion of said core.

The combination with a radiator unit comprising 'a core having upper and lower headers and a shell forming a housing for the core and having an open front permitting the circulation of air through the shell,

of'an' auxiliary front positioned within the shellin advance ofthe core and comprising a seriesof spaced ribs extending across the openin simulating ashutter unlt, said auxont having web portions formed integral-with and'connectmg the ribs at the upper and lower ends thereof and extending within the opening in said front for completely concealing said headers.

8. The combination with a radiator unit comprising a core having upper and lower.

headers and a shell forming a housing for the core and having an open front permitting the circulation of air throu h the shell, of. an auxiliary front positione within the shell inadvance of the core and comprising a series of spaced ribs extending across the opening simulating ashutter unit, said auxiliary front having web portions formed integral vwith and connecting the ribs at the upper and lower ends thereof and extending within the opening inv said front for completely concealing said headers, and means for ositioning said auxiliary front within the s ell including mem-.

bers secured to the inner surfaces of the webs and operable to reinforce the auxiliary front.

9. The combination with a radiator unit comprising a core and a shell housing the core having side wallsinclined relative to the adjacent side walls of the core, of an lower headers, and ribs arranged vertically of said front connecting said upper and lower webs and fixed against movement with respect thereto.

12. The combination with a radiator unit comprising a core having upper and lower headers and tubes connecting said headers, of a front simulating a shutter unit for concealing said core, said front including upper and lower transversely extendingwebs arranged in advance of said upper and lower headers for concealing the same, and ribs arranged vertically of said front, said ribs having end portions extended to overlie the said webs.

--13. The combination with a radiator unit comprising a shell and a core positioned in the rear of the shell and having upper and lower headers normally visible through the opening in the shell, of an auxiliary front within the shell simulating a shutter unit and substantially concealing said core, said auxiliary front including upper andv lower transversely extending webs of suflici'ent width to substantially conceal said upper and lower headers, and vertically arranged ribs, said ribs having extended end portions which overlie said webs.

14. The combination with a radiator unit comprising a core having upper and lower headers and tubes connecting said headers, of a front simulating a shutter unit for concealing said-core, said front including a single piece of sheet metal having upper and lower web portions of sufiicient width to substantially conceal said headers and havin Vertically arranged rib portions, said we portions being crimped to constitute extensions of said ribs.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

FERDINAND B. HERZ.

auxiliary-front interposed between the core and shell and simulating a shutter linit, said auxiliary front having portions fashioned to ermit the assage of air therethrou h an having ot or portions concealin t e space between the side walls of the she I and adjacent wall of the core.

10. The combination with a radiator unit com rising a core having up er and lower hea ers and a. shell housing t e core, of an auxiliary front substantially of one piece construction and interposed between the core and shell, said auxilia front having ortions fashioned to permit the passage 0 air therethrough and other portions completely concealing said headers.

11. The combination with a radiator unit comprising a core having upper and lower headers and tubes connecting said headers, of a front simulating a shutter unit for con- I cealing said core,'said front including up- 

